Eating chicken from the supermarket could leave you suffering agonising cystitis
FORGET food poisoning, there's a new danger that could come with your chicken dinner.
The family fave could harbour the very bacteria that can cause nasty urinary tract infections, including cystitis, experts have warned.
Now, disclaimer alert... the study was carried out in the US.
BUT, the scientists have questioned if their findings mean this bacteria is working its way into the wider food chain somehow.
The team from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention examined samples of meat from stores in California, reports.
And they compared those with urine samples from patients suffering UTIs.
Peering down their microscopes, the beady-eyed scientists were looking for signs of the bacteria E.coli.
While some strains do cause food poisoning, others can trigger urinary infections, that can cause an agonising burning sensation when you pee.
Dr Cindy Friedman and her team noted six strains of E.coli are linked to the majority of UTIs.
And they found three strains in the meat samples they tested - mostly in poultry.
Dr Friedman said their findings "suggest that there might be a food-borne source of urinary tract infection".
However, the scientists were quick to point out their findings do not show for sure that bacteria in meat is responsible for UTIs, and called for more research.
UTIs are common and affect the bladder, kidneys and the tubes that connect a person's "plumbing system".
Anyone can get them but they tend to be more common in women.
They can be really painful, and symptoms of bladder infections include:
- needing to pee more often
- pain when peeing
- sudden urges to pee
- feeling as though you can't empty your bladder
- pain in the lower part of your tummy
- urine that's cloudy, smells bad and has traces of blood in
- feeling generally unwell and tired
Signs it could be a kidney infection include:
- high temperature
- pain in your side or back
- shivering and chills
- feeling and being sick
- confusion
- restlessness
E.coli bacteria is the likely culprit in around 80 per cent of UTIs, the study's authors noted.
Some earlier studies have also found the bacteria could come from the food chain, again pointing the finger at poultry, in particular.
To look at the link in more detail, Dr Reina Yamaji from the University of California, Berkeley, who took part in the study, took pee samples from 1,000 UTI patients.
And they sampled 200 meat products from nearby shops.
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They found 38 per cent of the meat samples were contaminated with E.coli.
Ground turkey was most likely to show strains of the bacteria, with 73 per cent of turkey mince testing positive.
Next up was chicken, with 43 per cent positive for E.coli strains, followed by 18 per cent of beef mince and 15 per cent of pork chops.
The scientists suggest E.coli could cause UTIs if people eat raw or meat that's not been properly cooked - in the same way as food poisoning can strike.
The study, presented at IDWeek 2017, an infectious disease conference in San Diego, has yet to be published in a peer reviewed journal.
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